AUSTIN — David Dewhurst, now running for re-election as lieutenant governor, still owes businesses $1.4 million from his failed 2012 U.S. Senate campaign, a federal report filed this week shows.

The 20 private creditors have been waiting 18 months for payment. The debt ranges from $170,628 to a Maryland-based media consultant to $464 for email services.

Piling onto the debt is his own state campaign committee, which is now listed as a creditor for having to provide more than $474,000 to the Senate campaign to help pay its legal costs.

Dewhurst spokesman Travis Considine said the problem stems from the legal morass involving Dewhurst’s former trusted adviser Kenneth “Buddy” Barfield. But it raises a potential political issue as Dewhurst competes in a heated primary to try to keep his job. One rival questioned why the lieutenant governor, who is personally wealthy, hasn’t paid the debt himself.

“Two wrongs don’t make a right,” said Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, one of three fellow Republicans seeking to knock off Dewhurst.

The Travis County district attorney’s office is investigating whether Barfield siphoned off as much as $4 million from Dewhurst’s lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate campaign committees.

Consultant’s assets

In November, according to court documents, Barfield signed over his $2.8 million home in Austin, as well as business assets, to Dewhurst. The home was placed on the market in December and is still up for sale.

“The state and federal committees have acquired title to Barfield’s house as part of efforts to recover monies he embezzled from the committees,” Considine said. “Efforts will continue to sell the house to obtain funds” to pay creditors.

But that doesn’t help campaign vendors who have been awaiting payment since Dewhurst lost the GOP Senate primary race to Ted Cruz in July 2012. Cruz went on to win the general election in November.

“I try not to think about it,” said one creditor, speaking on condition of anonymity because the firm is still hoping for payment. “It’s been sitting in accounts receivable for a long time, but what can I do?”

The creditor said Dewhurst and his campaign are doing what’s best for them given the legal situation, but businesses that provided goods and services are left dangling.

John Doner, who runs an Austin-based communications consulting firm, confirmed he is still owed $20,000. Beyond that, he declined to comment.

Staples noted that while Dewhurst still owes his Senate campaign staff and vendors hundreds of thousands of dollars, he has managed to loan his re-election campaign $387,000.

“Texans have to pay their bills; David Dewhurst should pay his,” Staples said.

Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said: “You would think that would’ve been paid by now.”

Considine said that Dewhurst has not made a loan to his lieutenant governor campaign since 2011, and the $387,500 is an outstanding balance of previous loans.

Patrick owes, too

The other contender in the primary race, Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, declined to comment. Patrick has been criticized by Patterson, in particular, for leaving his own vendors on the hook for $800,000 from a business bankruptcy filed in the 1980s.

The year-end report from the Senate campaign showed that in addition to businesses that provided service and goods, Dewhurst is also hoping to recoup some money himself.

On top of the $19.6 million he personally donated to his $28 million Senate effort, Dewhurst lent $1.6 million to the campaign that has yet to be repaid.

Last year, the Dewhurst Senate campaign also had to refund $780,000 in contributions. Close associates said the lieutenant governor covered those costs out of his own pocket.

Federal campaign law dictated that the contributors had to be reimbursed.

Contributions are capped in federal elections so that individuals can give a maximum of $2,600 during the primary and another $2,600 during the general election. Because he was defeated in the primary and never made it into the general election, Dewhurst needed to send back the early contributions made for the general election leg of the race.

Follow Christy Hoppe on Twitter at @christyhoppe.

AT A GLANCE: 2012 campaign creditors

David Dewhurst’s 2012 Senate campaign still owes 21 creditors a total of $1.4 million. Here are some of the largest creditors:

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